Rastipede
Medium Monstrous Humanoid Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 17 (+7 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +3 / +3 Attack: Longspear +3 melee (1d8/x3), or claw +3 melee (1d4), or masterwork composite longbow +4 ranged (1d8) Full Attack: Longspear +3 melee (1d8/x3), or 2 claws +3 melee (1d4), or masterwork composite longbow +4 ranged (1d8) Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft. Special Attacks: — Special Qualities: Ambidexterity, Darkvision 60 ft., Scent, Spelljamming Talent Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 10 Skills: Bluff +4, Diplomacy +8*, Escape Artist +2*, Knowledge (arcana) +2, Knowledge (history) +2, Sense Motive +4 Feats: Iron Will, Point Blank Shot Environment: Any Organization: Solitary, pair, clutch (3-6), swarm (7-14), or nest (50-300 plus 100% noncombatants) Challenge Rating: 2 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Often neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +3 The creature's lower half is six feet long and eight-legged. Its upper body is humanoid in shape, with a head—adorned with large, compound eyes and a pair of long, whiplike antennae—and two arms. Its entire body is covered by a hard, chitinous exoskeleton. Rastipedes are best known across the spheres as traders and merchants. They commonly employ crews and hire ships to transport goods back and forth across wildspace, usually turning a profit with every voyage. They are hardworking in all their dealings. Rastipedes speak Rastipede, Common, Dwarven, and Elven. Combat Rastipedes are inherently peaceful and avoid combat whenever possible—their great movement rate allows them to avoid many unpleasant encounters. However, they are not cowardly. They can, and do, use the full range of weapons usable by humans. They attempt to keep enemies at range, preferring custom made longbows. When combat gets to melee range, their hard chitinous armor allows them to make attacks with their claws. Ambidexterity (Ex): Rastipedes use both hands as their primary hand. When wielding two weapons, if either is considered light, the penalties for two-weapon fighting are reduced by 2 each. Also, neither both attacks use full Strength bonus (if any) to damage. Spelljamming Talent (Su): When operating a spelljammer helm that is based on the pilot's spellcasting level, a rastipede adds its Int bonus (or +5, whichever is lower) to its spellcasting level for the purpose of determining the ship's Tactical Rating (TR). Skills: An additional two points were spent on the rastipedes Speak Language skill, which they consider a class skill regardless of class. * Rastipedes receive a +2 racial bonus on Appraise and Diplomacy checks. They also receive a +2 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks because their bodies are fully double-jointed. Feats: ** Rastipedes can take the Two-Weapon Fighting feat even if they do not meet the requirements, due to their Ambidexterity. Rastipede Society Rastipedes are born from eggs laid by the queen. Their secluded, underground nests contain 100-600 individuals, half of which can't fight. Members of a nest grow up with a strong sense of duty to the rest of the community, and take part in educating the young in mathematics and Rastipede literature, which is quite extensive. Rastipedes often spend their first decade of life underground, away from the sun. It is after this time that some choose go leave the nest for adventure. Rastipedes as Characters Rastipede characters possess the following racial traits. * +2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence. * Size Medium. * Quadrupeds have 1 1/2 times the carrying capacity of Medium characters. * A rastipedes base land speed is 40 feet. * Darkvision out to 60 feet. * Racial Hit Dice: A rastipede begins with three levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 3d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +3, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3. * Racial Skills: A rastipede's monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 6 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Knowledge (history), Sense Motive, and Speak Language. Rastipedes have a +2 racial bonus on Appraise, Diplomacy and Escape Artist checks. * Racial Feats: A rastipede's monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats. * Weapon Proficiency: A rastipede is proficient with all bows and all simple weapons. * +7 natural armor bonus. * Natural Attacks: 2 claws (1d4). * Special Qualities (see above): Ambidexterity, Spelljamming Talent, Scent. * Automatic Languages: Common, Rastipede. Bonus Languages: Any. * Favored Class: Wizard. * Level adjustment +3. Monster Class Rastipedes are best known across the crystal spheres as traders. They commonly employ crews and hire ships to transport goods back and forth across wildspace, usually turning a profit with every voyage. Personality: Rastipede are inherently peaceful and avoid combat whenever possible; their great movement rate allowing them to avoid many unpleasant encounters. However, they are not cowardly, and can (and do) use the full range of weapons usable by humans. They are also hardworking and seek to make a profit in all their dealings. Most others view them as misers with little sense of humor. “Idle time is wasted time” is a phrase heard in the nest that spawns the rastipede. As such they are always thinking, even when working, on how best to expend their time (another saying is: “one's days are numbered before you are even born so make the best use of each hour of each day”). Some rastipedes find ways to justify their “idle” time; such laggards are often thrown out of the nest. Physical Description: Rastipedes are six feet long insectoid “centaurs” with eight walking limbs and a vaguely humanoid torso with two upper “arms”, all covered in a chitinous exoskeleton (which accounts for its high armor class). A rastipede's head has two large compound eyes, a chitinous mandible, and a pair of long, whip-like antennae. Other than the queen of each nest, there are no obvious differences between rastipedes of different gender. Relations: Rastipedes are the penultimate traders of the known spheres. Only the Mercane are more willing to exchange goods. However the rastipedes seem unconcerned with such niceties as uniform pricing and fair dealing. A spacefarer who makes a deal with a rastipede is advised to count his money, his crew and his limbs. Rastipedes are not truly dishonest, however. They rarely renege on a bargain once struck, and as a rule they deliver their side of the bargain at the time and space specified. The problem is that the rastipedes delight in meeting the letter of the bargain, rather than the spirit. They are particularly fond of making a deal knowing that the other party is assuming something that is not true. They will sell you a lottery ticket with this week's winning numbers on it — but it will be last week's ticket. Rastipedes will buy and sell anything they think will be profitable, although most scrupulously obey smuggling and slave-trafficking laws. This propensity for hard bargaining has brought the rastipedes in contact with the Mercane. In fact, rastipedes are favored henchmen of these mysterious traders. Very often, characters that seek an Mercane find themselves dealing with a rastipede go-between. Alignment: Rastipedes as a whole are very lawful but have no tendencies toward good or evil. Those outside the nest are most likely to be an alignment other then lawful neutral. Rastipede Lands: Rastipede lands are filled with underground caverns, many of which have been dug out by the rastipedes themselves. The lands surrounding caverns must be able to support some life which the rastipedes gather much of their substance. Within their caverns they harvest giant aphids and mushrooms. Religion: Rastipedes worship gods of insects, merchants, travel, and industry. The Suel goddess Bralm is one such goddess that rastipedes commonly worship. Language: Rastipedes have their own language, a combination of chirps and clicks. The written version of their tongue has many special characters that when a “tilde” is added to it becomes a number. Such extra strokes or even a single stroke, either above or below a letter can change a meaning of sentence. Society: Rastipedes are born from eggs, which are laid by a queen who lives deep within the ground in the secluded caverns where the rastipedes have their nests. Rastipedes grow up with a strong sense of duty and responsibility to the nest and the community. All rastipedes are well taught in the literature of their own race (which is quite extensive) and mathematics. A nest of rastipedes might contain anywhere from 100–600 individuals, half of which are immature and are incapable of combat. The adults, however, are fanatically committed to the defense of the nest above all else. Names: Rastipedes earn names that are indicative of their productivity to the nest. Such names are more a matter of status. Rastipedes can also earn names due to important jobs they do such as forager (gathers food) or bloodspiller (defends the nest from dangerous threats). To these names of status or positions all rastipedes carry the nest name, which seem to be used only when rastipedes meet other rastipedes from another nest. Names of Nests: Aphidgarden, Goldhill, Water Raiders, are but a few names that rastipedes carry as their nest name. Adventurers: Many slothful rastipedes wishing to escape from the rigid structure of the nest seek adventure where they can use their natural abilities to great effect. Racial Traits R Starting Ability Score Adjustments: +2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma; Rastipedes have an alien yet very logical and orderly mind; this alien mindset also put other creatures ill at ease with respect to the rastipede. R Speed: Rastipede land speed is 40 feet. R Darkvision: Rastipedes can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but is otherwise like normal sight, and rastipedes can function just fine with no light at all. This is due to the fact the rastipede may spend there first decade underground after being born. R Tremorsense (Ex): Rastipede can automatically sense the location of anything within 60 feet that is in contact with the ground. R Wide Vision (Ex): Because of its multiple eyes and wide angle of vision, a rastipede has a +4 racial bonus on spot checks and cannot be flanked. R Natural Spelljammers: Rastipedes are natural spelljammers, and when seated in a helm adds 30 feet to the tactical speed of any spelljammer vessel he pilots (depending on other rules on how spelljamming tactical speed is increased by a +1 TS bonus). R +2 racial bonus on appraise and bluff skill checks. R Excellent Linguist: A rastipede character regardless of class has “speak language” as a class skill. R Automatic Languages: Rastipedes and one other language that is commonly found in wildspace. Bonus Languages: Common, Dohwar, Dralasite, Dwarven and Elven. Rastipedes commonly know many languages as they bargain with their many clients, which come a vast number of races. R Favored Class: Rastipede. Expert, rogue and wizard are the best multiclassing choices for a rastipede. Class Skills The rastipede's class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Chr), Diplomacy (Chr), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Int), Speak Language (n/a), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis). Class Features All of the following are class features of the rastipede monster class. Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Rastipede's are proficient with all simple weapons and receive Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for longbows (including composite longbow) and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats. Rastipedes value keeping a distance between themselves and their enemies and all rastipedes are familiar with these weapons. Feats: A rastipede recieves one feat at 1st level and another at 5th level. After 6th level it gains feats normally according to its character level, as shown on table 2–5: Experience and Level-Dependent Benefits. The Rastipede Hit Base Attack Fort Ref Will Skill Level Dice Bonus Save Save Save Points CR Special 1st 1d8 +0 +0 +0 +2 (2 + Int mod) x4 ½ Feat, +2 natural armor, 2 claws 1d4 2nd 1d8 +0 +0 +0 +2 — ½ +2 Dex, +2 Con 3rd 2d8 +1 +0 +0 +3 2 + Int mod 1 +2 Dex, +3 natural armor. 4th 2d8 +1 +0 +0 +3 — 1 +2 Str, +2 Wis. 5th 3d8 +2 +1 +1 +3 2 + Int mod 2 Feat, +2 Dex, +4 natural armor. Random Starting Ages Table for Rastipedes Bard Cleric Barbarian Fighter Druid Rogue Paladin Monk Adulthood Sorcerer Ranger Wizard 20 +1d4 +2d4 +3d4 Aging Effects Table for Rastipedes Middle Age* Old** Venerable Maximum Age 50 years 67 years 100 years +5d20 years Random Height and Weight Table for Rastipedes Base Height Base Weight Height Modifier Weight Modifier 3' 8” +2d4 100 lb x (3d10) lb The Rastipede Pantheon Rastipedes are not a religious species as shown by their lack of priests in the canon sources (in 3rd edition they are assumed to be able to be clerics and adeptsjust like anyone else). In fact many others have described their religion as money or even the deal. For many rastipedes this is, in fact, true. The rastipedes do have a small pantheon, however, one that is only present in the few spheres rastipedes control. The members of this pantheon are all demigods as none has attracted enough worship to rise to lesser power level. Further, only two have managed to reach beyond these spheres to other spheres with heavy rastipede traffic. These two are the very nominal head of the pantheon, Xolox, the god of trade and commerce and patron of merchants and the god Techlin, the god of luck, chance, and new enterprises. These two are accessible in Refuge due to the high amount of trade there and the fact that rastipedes often work closely with the Arcane who run the sphere. The presence of the Rock of Bral in Realmspace has also allowed them access to that sphere as so many rastipedes trade there on a regular basis. Rastipede NPCs may actually reach 2nd level as clerics (in 1st and 2nd Edition, additionally in 1st Edition, as per UA, single classed clerics may reach 4th level) but do not have enough faith to attain the special relationship with their deities that specialty priests enjoy (in 3rd edition there are no rastipede specific religious prestige classes). They are more than advanced enough to be true clerics rather than shamans, however. Rastipede clerics gain the same benefits when spelljamming that rastipede mages do (i.e., they operate as though they were 3 times their actual level on a helm). 1st Edition Rastipedes may not become thief-acrobats but they may become assassins (having someone pay them to kill is just another form of commerce to a rastipede though most prefer safer professions or at least ones easier to make a profit at--such as being a helmsman due to their special abilities in this area). Rastipedes may multi-class as any of the following mutli-class combinations: C/F, C/MU, C/T, C/A, F/MU, F/T, F/A, MU/T, MU/A, C/F/MU, C/F/T, C/MU/T, and F/MU/T (in 2nd Edition they may multi-class as C/F, C/W, C/T, F/W, F/T, W/T, C/F/W, C/F/T, and C/W/T, additionally rastipedes of any class may take the merchant kit from PO:S&P or the merchant kit from CGR1). Most rastipedes want to deal with deities the same way they do with their customers, bargaining worship for power. This might make them seem attractive to certain spirits and extra-planar beings seeking to become powers in their own right but rastipedes rarely have true faith, no matter what their agreements. To them gods are simply merchants with something else to sell and a different kind of merchandise that they're interested in. Many rastipedes will call on local merchant gods or the faiths of those they are currently trading with but these calls are little more than attempts to appease those they're dealing with at the time-they carry no faith or power. Techlin (Lord of Luck, Granter of Chance) Demipower of Limbo, CN Portfolio: Luck, Chance, New Enterprises Aliases: None Known Domain Name: Platinum Palace of Chance Superior: Xolox Allies: Varies Foes: None Symbol: Square coin set on one corner, one diagonal half made of gold and one half made of platinum Wor. Align.: Any How Techlin became a power is lost to time, as is the rise of most of the rastipede pantheon. When depicted at all Techlin is shown as a silvery rastipede with golden eyes, mandibles, antennae, and claws. Techlin lives in the Platinum Palace of chance, a casino/gaming hall made entirely of platinum. He chose to create his domain out of platinum to show up his rival and superior, Xolox. Of course on the plane of Limbo creating a domain out of anything a god desires is extremely easy. Techlin controls all luck and chance happenings in his domain, including saving throws, damage, chance to hit, and ability checks. In short no one can successfully perform any action that has a chance of failure without his approval. Actions that have random effectiveness (such as the damage from a fireball) are also completely under his control in his own domain. As the rastipede gods are so distant little is known about Techlin's personality or desires. Some have speculated that he may even have slightly more followers than Xolox due to his patronizing of thieves. Techlin finds allies in most gods of luck, chance, and/or gambling and will also ally with gods of thieves who possess a more mischievous and less malicious nature (such as Erevan Ilesere and Brandobaris). He has no interest in romance or similar passions and deities that personify luck in these areas he ignores. Techlin is on poor terms with gods of unyielding, unbending law, duty, vigilance, and protection as these things tend to interfere with gambling and his thieves. Naturally he is also opposed to powers that oppose thieves and gambling directly. Deities who personify aspects he favors and as well as aspects he hates, such as Haela Brightaxe, he distrusts and avoids also. Despite his misgivings he is careful to ensure he doesn't become a true enemy of any god, remaining so small he's unnoticed by his those he cannot deal with in a more peaceful manner. Techlin's Avatar It is unknown if Techlin even has an avatar or the ability to send it forth. If he does, he does so incognito. Other Manifestations: Techlin manifests as unusual good or bad fortune. Luck is his hallmark and will show those he watches either his favor or his displeasure. He may help a new and favored business grow by happening to be noticed by exactly those people who would patronize it or it might fail due to an accident that forces it to be closed for repairs even as the entrepreneur's money runs out. More often, however, he manifests his special luck with thieves as he seeks to attract them to his worship. Often a thief will "luck out" by meeting up with one of his clergy. As the two travel together and discuss Techlin's power the thief will experience one or more cases of extremely good luck along with episodes of bad luck that he only manages to survive through some last minute good luck. In such ways does Techlin increase his small roster of true believers and worshippers. This is also how he attracts most of his clerics and other clergy. The Church Clergy: Clerics, Thieves, Merchants Clergy's Align.: Any Turn Undead: C: No Cmd. Undead: C: No Clerics of Techlin receive the bonus proficiency of religion (rastipede) (in 3rd Edition they gain 1 skill point per cleric level and a +2 synergy bonus). Other clergy must purchase this proficiency at normal cost as though they were clerics (they don't suffer any penalty for choosing this proficiency even if it is not one their class normally has access to). Techlin's clergy consist of all the classes available to rastipedes and more aren't actual clerics than are. Other than this the only other determination that can be made about the makeup of his clergy is that most possessed some other profession (which they probably still practice) before joining his clergy so there are probably more multi-classed clerics in his clergy than single classed ones. Techlin may be worshipped anywhere and most of his clergy create small, portable shrines to take with them if they travel regularly. Other shrines may simply be an alcove or a small back room. Such shrines contain a holy symbol of Techlin but few have any representation of his likeness. It is through the open, but unintrusive display of their portable holy symbols that most Techlin worshippers recognize each other. No known icons of Techlin (as described in CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook on pages 76-77) are known to exist, probably because rastipede clergy don't get to high enough level to need them. Dogma: Life is random. In order to succeed one needs luck. As Techlin controls luck worshipping him in return for more favorable luck is a good deal. Day-to-Day Activities: Techlin's clergy are to minister to the few faithful he has and unobtrusively attempt to spread his faith among the other rastipedes. The spells Techlin has granted are to be used to show other rastipedes his power and the advantages of serving him. These clergy are also occasionally used to help Techlin draw a new favorite to his faith as he uses manifestations to cause another rastipede to come to believe in his power. Otherwise Techlin's clergy conduct their daily business. Most run gambling games or gamble themselves at least some of the time. Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: Techlin has no set holy days as these are quite inappropriate to a spelljammer power. Instead he only demands a small monetary sacrifice in thanks for any successful venture. Additionally all clergy must pray to him at least once per day. Major Centers of Worship: Techlin may have actual temples in rastipede spheres or worlds but none are well known if he does. Instead the local room of a clergymember that hosts services for several other worshippers is probably the most important site of worship for Techlin in any particular locale. Affiliated Orders: No specific affiliated orders or groups are known though some rastipede merchant companies are run by members of Techlin's clergy. Priestly Vestments: Techlin's holy symbol is all that is common as garb for Techlin's clergy. Prosperous clergy will show off their wealth and success (and thus Techlin's favor) with rich jewelry and garments. Adventuring Garb: Techlin's clergy are merchants and thieves. Each will be appropriately equipped for whatever task they are attempting (whether it is negotiating with some rich dwarves or attempting to burglarize a building). Rastipedes do not usually become smugglers as authorities might bar them from ever doing business in an area again. They do trade freely in smuggled and stolen goods, however. Clergy members may thus have access to items one would not expect them to that they will use if required. Techlinite Spells Techlin's clerics aren't known to have developed any special spells of their own though they do have access to all common first and second level SJ clerical spells, especially contact higher power. They are also able to learn new 1st and 2nd level luck related spells even if these are specific to another deity. Such spells haven't spread throughout Techlin's clergy, however, and must be learned on an individual basis (to gain access to such a spell is considered especially lucky so those who learn them do not pass them on, instead feeling Techlin will guide their fellows if they are lucky and favored enough). Xolox (Singer of Dreams, The Moneylord, The Vizier of Merchants, Master of All Trades, The Dealmaker) Demipower of Concordant Opposition, N Portfolio: Trade, Commerce, Patron of Merchants Aliases: None Known Domain Name: The Market of the Gods Superior: None Allies: Varies Foes: Varies Symbol: Golden tower with large pool of silver in front of it Wor. Align.: Any Xolox is the nominal head of the rastipede pantheon though the rastipedes have no creation myths or similar stories to tie them to their gods (those forced to come up with a creation myth for some reason might say that their people are an investment, a random, chance occurrence, or were even traded for in some manner). He also has no real authority over the other rastipede gods or ability to make deals between his pantheon and any others. As such this distinction has little real meaning. He is depicted as a strong (some have even said regal) rastipede. He is completely gold in color except for mercury eyes. Xolox lives in the Golden Tower. The Tower lies at the center of his domain, The Market of the Gods. Here any creature of any race may come to trade for anything it desires. No transaction that is made in good faith is illegal or even frowned upon here and all trades are honored in full by both sides lest the traders anger Xolox. In true rastipede fashion, however, this does not mean these trades are what the consumer really desires, instead he gets what was agreed upon and any misinterpretations are his own fault. Xolox is allied with most merchant deities and maintains favorable relations with gods of wealth and those who defend trade (usually this is through strong laws to protect against thieves and breaking a contract so gods like Helm from the Realms fall into this category). He is also on good terms with gods of craftsmen, invention, and magic. His enemies are gods who restrict trade, hurt trade, or interfere with trade, or support theft and breach of contract (even if the contract is illegal or was deliberately twisted to seem as something it's not, thus gods of justice such as the Forgotten Realms's Tyr are not his allies). Gods of thieves and liars are his enemies as are gods of piracy. Gods of war and destruction are not always opposed by him, however, as both events tend to lead to increased commerce in area (he opposes gods like Talos of the Realms that glory in senseless, widespread destruction rather than more localized, controlled damage, however). Xolox's Avatar Xolox is not known to have ever sent his avatar to the prime material, instead preferring to attract and deal with followers through manifestations. He may not even have an avatar at all. Other Manifestations: Xolox most often manifests as a "feeling". If the feeling is followed the worshipper has a good chance of attaining a valuable deal (for example, a rastipede has a "feeling" he should buy grain even though it usually has a low profit margin, at the next port he finds their food stores were recently depleted by an infestation of rats, if he acted on it he's rich, if not he loses out). Most who experience such a feeling become his most faithful worshippers. Those who followed the feeling swear by him while the others fervently try to remain in his favor after seeing what they lost. Many also become clergy. In this way he attracts most of his followers and almost all of his clergy. The Church Clergy: Clerics, Merchants Clergy's Align.: Any Turn Undead: C: No Cmd. Undead: C: No Xolox's clerics receive the bonus proficiency of religion (rastipede) (in 3rd Edition they gain 1 skill point per cleric level and a +2 synergy bonus). Other clergy must purchase this proficiency at normal cost as though they were clerics (they don't suffer any penalty for choosing this proficiency even if it is not one their class normally has access to). Xolox's clergy consist of all the classes available to rastipedes and more aren't clerics than are. Very few are thieves, however, as Xolox supports "honest" trade (honest is a word used here very loosely, it's OK, even expected, to mislead someone badly as long as the final agreement, regardless of what lies may have been told prior to making it, is adhered to) rather than simply the acquisition of wealth by any means possible (especially a means that hurts commerce). Other than this the only other determination that can be made about the makeup of his clergy is that most possessed some other profession (which they probably still practice) before joining his clergy so there are probably more multi-classed clerics in his clergy than single classed ones. Xolox may be worshipped anywhere that has some sort of commercial use. Thus the back room of a store, on a merchant vessel, and in a warehouse are equally probable places for him to be worshipped. A true shrine or temple would presumably have a commercial religious use as they do for most religions but none are known. Many merchants who serve Xolox display his symbol openly so others may know they are honest traders. As Xolox occasionally destroys those who falsely display his symbol this actually has some reliability. No known icons of Xolox (as described in the Complete Spacefarer's Handbook on pages 76-77) are known to exist, probably because rastipede clergy don't get to high enough level to need them. Dogma: Trade is what makes the universe (society) run. Only an honest merchant can expect return customers and only through return business can a merchant prosper. should be noted that the rastipede definition of a fair trade, including that used by Xolox's followers, is not as narrowly defined as the Arcane's or possibly even their customers'. Day-to-Day Activities: Xolox's clergy are merchants on a daily basis though they also try to convert others to the faith. They present worship of Xolox as simply another trade, in return for their faith Xolox watches over them and helps them get the best of any deal. They feel that spreading his faith is something they are paid for by their god and give others (mainly other rastipedes) the benefit of knowing of his beneficence as a sort of free sample. Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: Xolox has no set holy days as these are quite inappropriate to a spelljammer power. He does demand the sacrifice of a small amount (usually about ½%) of the profit from any successful trade that is made. Followers are also to offer prayers daily. Major Centers of Worship: Xolox may have actual temples in rastipede spheres or worlds but none are well known if he does. Most rastipede market areas are dedicated to him, however. Affiliated Orders: No specific affiliated orders or groups are known though some rastipede merchant companies are run by members of Xolox's clergy. Priestly Vestments: Xolox's clergy decorate their shrines with a set of golden scales and his holy symbol. During the ceremony paints are used to decorate the rastipede's body with these symbols and the scales are carried about while the holy symbol is worn on a golden chain around the neck. The clergy will also wear their most valuable garments and jewelry. Adventuring Garb: Xolox's clergy are merchants and occasionally explorers looking to open new trade routes and areas to trade. Some few are actually guards or others workers who make the local wheels of commerce run. Each will be appropriately equipped for whatever task they are attempting. Xoloxan Spells Xolox's clerics aren't known to have developed any special spells of their own though they do have access to all common first and second level SJ clerical spells, especially contact higher power. They are also able to learn new 1st and 2nd level merchant and wealth related spells even if these are specific to another deity. Such spells are occasionally traded among Xolox's clergy but most charge their brethren a high price for new spells so such trades are rare. Category:Monstrous humanoids